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Microsoft has released Office 2019, but effectively told would-be buyers it's not as good as Office 365. It's a clear attempt to push people towards the subscription model. In one of the more bizarre publicity drives for a new product, Microsoft ... gives very little attention to Office 2019 itself. It's the latest (and very possibly last) installment of MS Office as a standalone program to install and run on a computer, something Microsoft now calls the "on-premises" version. (Source: theregister.co.uk ) The package includes the core programs of Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word on both ... (view more)

Microsoft is asking users to think twice before installing browsers such as Firefox and Chrome. A "warning message" is being tested in Windows 10. The message has been spotted by people in the Windows Insider program that lets them get early access ... to new features. The idea is to test the features on computers being used out in the 'real world' rather than in Microsoft labs. One such user has posted a screenshot of a message that appeared when they attempted to install Mozilla's Firefox browser. It reads "You already have Microsoft Edge - the safer, faster browser for Windows 10." ... (view more)

Windows 10's next major update will add a couple of features to make life easier for people with an Android phone. Using text messages and accessing photos on the PC will be possible without having to touch the phone. The services are both in a new ... built-in Windows 10 app called Your Phone. However, to use the new features, phone owners will also need to install "Microsoft Apps" from the Google Play Store on their handset. (Source: 9to5google.com ) Typing Possible On Full Size Keyboard The messaging tool covers SMS text messages. Users will be able to see the latest batch of messages received ... (view more)

The next major Windows 10 update is only a few weeks away and will be officially named the "October 2018 Update." The update is a new series of twice-yearly updates, which replaces the old system of small monthly updates, followed by a completely ... new version of Windows every few years. Security fixes remain on a monthly schedule, except for emergency patches. The October 2018 Update follows on from the April 2018 Update, both in contrast to last years Fall Creators Update and Creators Update that told you something about Microsoft's focus with new features. Small Set of New Features ... (view more)

Users frustrated with Windows 10's complicated privacy settings have an alternative option. A third-party tool called ' ShutUp10 ' offers a one-stop dashboard to control exactly what data is shared. The free tool can be downloaded directly from the ... developers O&O Software . It's a standalone application meaning you can run it without having to install it first, in turn meaning there's none of the bundled 'crapware' that comes with some free applications. Once opened, the tool lists just over 100 settings in 13 categories: Privacy App Privacy Security Web ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced several measures to slowly kill off Windows 8. It's targeting apps to try to persuade holdouts to upgrade to Windows 10. From October 31st, 2018, new apps designed for either Windows 8 or 8.1 on desktop or Windows Phone 8 on ... mobile devices can no longer be added to the Microsoft Store. From July 1st, 2019, Microsoft will stop sending app updates to Windows Phone 8 devices. The theory seems to be that developers will no longer have any reason to work on the platform and in turn it will become less and less attractive to users. Updates for existing Windows 8 and 8.1 ... (view more)

A consumer group is demanding compensation for users who've spent time and money fixing computer problems caused by Windows 10. It also wants updates and tech support to be improved. The call comes from "Which?", an independent organization in the ... United Kingdom that's similar to the US Consumer Reports group. It's brought up Windows 10 in the past: two years ago it revealed that more than 1,000 of its members had complained about the system. Now Which? says it's continuing to receive complaints and carried out a survey of members. It questioned more than 1,100 members who use ... (view more)

Microsoft staff will no longer answer questions about Windows 7 and 8.1 in support forums. It's also keeping quiet about several other hardware and software products. The products concerned are already mostly into Microsoft's "extended support", ... rather than "mainstream support" periods. That means Microsoft is no longer adding new features to the software, handling warranty claims, or offering free support through online tools or phone lines. Instead, it merely issues patches for security problems and bugs. While Microsoft no longer offered direct help services for the ... (view more)

Microsoft has released the latest major update to Windows 10 for 2018. The main changes are most useful for people who do a lot of work on their PC, particularly if they use multiple computers. The update is part of Microsoft's new approach to ... evolving Windows 10. It continues to issue monthly security fixes, but has dropped the old approach of issuing new features as and when they are ready, then rounding them up in a 'service pack' every year or so before eventually moving on to the next version of Windows. Instead, the idea is to never have a completely new version, but rather to add new ... (view more)

Microsoft is ditching a special version of Windows 10 that was based around security and low costs. That said, Windows 10 S had some major restrictions on the programs it could run. Though it will no longer be available as a standalone edition, it ... will now be included as an optional mode in some Windows computers. That means Microsoft is likely continuing to target schools with the option. To many analysts, Windows 10 S was Microsoft's take on the Google Chromebook range. The distinguishing feature of Windows 10 S was that it only ran apps that were downloaded and installed from the Windows ... (view more)